Teenage pop stars are not experts on relationships

By the time this article even gets published, I know most of you will have listened to Justin Bieber’s break-up ballad “Nothing Like Us” dozens of times.

Maybe you will even declare that you understand the heartbreak Bieber is going through with his now ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez. However, just because Bieber is shamelessly airing his dirty laundry, that does not mean he is an expert about relationships and how to deal with a break-up.

In his latest tell-all tune Bieber croons, “Tell me: was it worth it? We were so perfect/Baby I just want you to see,” hinting that the blame for the break-up rests solely on Gomez’s shoulders.
That right there, is an example of teenage angst at its finest.

At 19, Bieber is still just a horny, over-emotional teenager who probably doesn’t yet realize that love and lust are two separate entities.  Of course when he breaks up with his girlfriend, he’s going to find some way to put all of the blame on her instead of sharing it. With Gomez reportedly being his first serious relationship, I would not credit this as enough experience for him to claim that he had seen the wide range of “love” and all of its capacities.

Due to the way he’s dealing with the break-up, I would think he’s hoping to sell out on his recent heartbreak. How long until Gomez creatively follows in her ex-boyfriend’s footsteps to share her side of the story?

Bieber and Gomez are not the only jilted Hollywood couples that fall into the category of “teen idols to never take dating advice from”. In fact, they are just the beginning. We all sat around wondering just how long it would take before country superstar Taylor Swift would break-up with One Direction heartthrob, Harry Styles.

In true T-Swift style, that romance was swiftly thrown out the window; and after Swift’s tweet claiming that she is “back in the studio,” it won’t be long until we hear exactly how the romance quickly fizzled between the two.

If Swift falls into the rut she has before with previous albums, there is a very good chance she will end up writing an angry song about how her and Styles will “never, ever get back together.”
First off, why trust someone who cannot be single for more than a month? Secondly, all of Swift’s songs talk about how her ex-boyfriends, including Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal, wronged her in some petty and overdramatic manner.

This could be a stretch, but does she not think that maybe it’s her whose looking for trouble? And why would sweet, innocent Taylor Swift want trouble when it walks in? Because she is still young and is still intrigued by the thought of having a bumpy ride with boys until she is ready to find “The One.”

Fine, maybe Bieber and Swift are relatable to young adults because they are enduring the same kinds of issues like heartbreak and discovering what you want in terms of a relationship, but no one should turn to these teen sensations as love advisors. If you want advice on how to make a relationship last in the long run, ask someone who has enough experience to explain how to make it work.

Maybe ask someone that you actually know. These popular songs by teen sensations may be catchy and often talk about love, but it’s not like you’re going to be able to call them up one-on-one to talk about the next step you want to take in your relationship. There is a reason why we have best friends for that.

While Bieber and Swift’s teenage dreams will come and go in the form of chart-topping songs, I suggest that you take these songs as mere entertainment, not a manual for how you should approach your next relationship.
letters@thecord.ca

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